Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences
by jjbenzix7
Summary: Love in Numbers. Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences. Carter and Reese have now become lovers. After living life as a cold-blooded, trained assassin, Reese now has a chance at normalcy with Carter. He soon discovers that with normalcy, comes emotions that he must learn how to cope with in his life with her.
1. All I Want for Christmas is You

_*A fan fiction story based on the Person of Interest characters. I own no copyrights to the characters or show. Thank you. Enjoy. _

* * *

**Fan Fiction Story: Love In Numbers **

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences**

**Episode 1: All I Want for Christmas is You**_ - Carter has only two days left before joining her family for Christmas in Connecticut. After she accepted the invitation to attend the annual Christmas Party with Cal Beecher, she learns that Reese is not too pleased with another man invading his space, and especially when it involves her. Carter soon realizes just what he meant when he said, __**"She belong to him now, and he promise not to love another as long as she is in his life."**_

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**Love In Numbers**

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences**

**Episode 1: All I Want for Christmas is You**

It was hard for Reese and Carter to get back to the normalcy of life, outside of their sexual pleasures dungeon of lovemaking and passion, but they knew they had to. Carter had only two days left, before she would be leaving for Connecticut, and Reese had to catch up on a few numbers waiting for him, not to mention a very angry little man in specs, who had been trying since yesterday, to reach him.

It was ten o'clock in the morning, and they had already met at their favorite coffee shop, and ate breakfast together, stealing passionate kisses whenever and wherever they could. In just one day and night of unstoppable lovemaking, Carter and Reese had become like two teenagers having sex for the first time. They were now doing something they both had frowned upon…they were **_sexting!_**

Reese arrived back at the Library feeling damn good and jubilant. Finch could see it in his eyes. _He had definitely been rolling in the hay with Detective Carter_, he thought, as he stared at Reese with suspicious eyes.

_"I'm not going to ask whether you had a good night Mr. Reese. Frankly, it is none of my business. I will, however, like to inform you that the Machine and the Numbers wait for no one."_

Reese studied Finch cold, pale, lifeless face for a few minutes. It was time he said what was on his mind, whether Finch liked it or not.

_"You know Harold…I've been thinking…maybe you should throw caution to the wind, once in a while. Why not say, __**'the hell with it all'**__, and visit Grace? You are choosing to rewrite her destiny for her, instead of living in the moment with her. You should try it Harold, you might just be surprised at how easy it is to have a little piece of normalcy happening in your life, every now and then. I just cannot accept that, normalcy is over, and done with in my life. I refuse to accept that, and so should you. None of us will live forever Finch. I'd rather know that I had one passionate moment of normalcy in my life, filled with love and happiness, than to die, knowing I never gave it a chance. I don't want to die alone." _

Finch knew that much of what Reese was saying was true, but he just did not want to subject Grace to any danger, and he definitely was not going to hurt her by suddenly becoming a resurrected 'ghost' from her past. If he had to die alone, so be it.

Finch limped over to the glass board and taped a photo on it. He filled Reese in on the next case, which involved Judge Samuel Gates. After his wife died, he had to raise their son alone, with the help of the family nanny, Christina. As Reese began to track the Judge, he soon discovered that, it was not the Judge, whose life was in danger, but his son, Sam Jr.

Finch did not agree, since the Machine chose the number, connecting it to Judge Gates. After Sam Jr. was kidnapped and held ransom for a large sum of money, it became confusingly, and painstakingly clear to Finch, that the Machine might not always be right.

Reese continued to work the case, and discovered that Judge Gates had been blackmailed by the kidnappers, to free one of their associates in crime. The sexy, blonde female defense lawyer, played an intricate part in the initial kidnapping scheme. After convincing the Judge that he was there to help him get his son back, Reese began tracking the female lawyer and kidnappers. It is not long before they send a message to the Judge to free their partner and back off.

When the verdict was in, Judge Gates was well aware of the fact that his son's life was on the line, and rested upon whether the criminal walked or not. It was not an option for him, but when the verdict of _**'not guilty'**_was read aloud, the prosecuting lawyers and people in the courtroom were stunned.

More so now, Reese was determined to rescue Judge Gates son and bring him home. He was also determined to trace the corruption of drug money laundering back to the female lawyer, and her gang of _merry men_ kidnappers.

Later that evening, after Reese had made good on his promise, he reunited the Judge with his son, and eliminated many of the kidnappers. He sat in his car that night, and watched as several cops, including Carter, marched the remaining crooks and kidnappers out of the location where he left them battered, bruised, and tied up. Carter was aware of his handy work, and knew that he was somewhere in the area watching, as usual.

The Christmas Party held at the Precinct Dancehall, a few blocks down from HQ, was already underway. Decorations were going up like crazy, and catered food arrived by the truckloads. This was always a big event. There was a huge, world-shaped globe, placed at the entryway, where guests and visitors could donate to a chosen charity of the year. This event usually raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. For that reason alone, the event had grown bigger and bigger.

Carter had only four hours to get a few things done, before Cal Beecher was to arrive at her apartment to pick her up at nine o'clock. Two days from now, she would be in Connecticut, enjoying the festivities, the food, family and friends. All she had to do was get through the party tonight. She had already spent almost two hours with her favorite beautician, and was pleased with the outcome. It would look great with the spiffy little dress she had chosen to wear to the party.

Her beautician gave her quick and simple, with sexy waves, and sassy feathering, just the way she liked it. With her busy schedule, it was just what she needed. Carter went back to familiarity, the style she was wearing the first time she met John Reese at the Precinct that night. Something she could manage quick and easy.

Meanwhile, back at the Library, Finch could see that the closer it got to Detective Carter leaving to join her family for the holidays, the more depressed Reese was becoming. He was moping around like a lovesick teenager who had just broken up with the first girl he ever loved.

Finch had had it up to his eyeballs with his forlorn behavior. She had not left town yet, and already, he was moping around with attitude. He could only think logically.

_…This was exactly the reason why he did not agree with Reese mixing work with pleasure. Too much becomes at stake, and at risk. In their line of work, there was just no room for normalcy in their lives..._

In between breaks from the Precinct, Carter dashed around the city, trying to finish buying last minute gifts for everyone. She even purchased a gift for Reese, but he would have to wait until later, to personally receive the gift-wrapped package she had for him. It was now five-thirty, and she had just finished filing her last report. Today was the last day she would have to work, and it had not come soon enough. Just as she was getting into her SUV, Reese called.

_"Hey babe, can you talk?"_ he asked.

_"Sure can, especially with you. What's up?"_

_"Can you meet me for coffee at our spot around seven? I need to talk to you."_

_"Sure...sure John, I'll be there."_ Carter was a little confused.

…_He knew that she was pushing for time, and would be attending the Christmas party at the Precinct at nine, so why ask to see her at seven, why not now…_ she thought.

Reese knew that she would be leaving in two days, and he was trying to spend as much time as he could with her. He was also aware of the fact that tonight, she would be going to the party with this Cal Beecher character, and he was not too thrilled about it. He was not one for acting out his true feelings and emotions in public, but Joss was the love of his life now, and sharing her, was not going to be an option, not as far as he was concerned.

There would be no shouting matches laced with jealousy. There would be no fistfights, between him and another man, over her, but there was going to be a need for understanding that emotions do run deep some times, and jealousy, can rear its ugly head, even in the best of us, and right now, it was certainly tapping on the door to his heart and emotions.

After being a cold-hearted, ruthless killer for so long, it felt good to do normal things, and experience normal emotions. This was one time that he did not care about how others would judge him. As a man, with feelings, with a heart that was now captivated and entitled to love another, he had to act upon his emotions.

Carter was really pushing for time. She was now going to have to meet Reese by seven, and then return to her apartment and wait for Beecher, that way, they would make it to the party by nine. The only favorable option left for her to do was to go home, take a shower, get dressed for the party, meet Reese, and try to get back to her apartment before Beecher gets there to pick her up. That did not seem to be too much of a problem at all, well…sort of.

Reese arrived at the coffee shop a few minutes before seven, and this time, he waited in the car for Carter to arrive. About five minutes before seven, she pulled up in her SUV. He got out of his car and opened the door for her.

She had already told him that she would be dressed for the party, if, that was all right with him, especially for the coffee shop environment. The night air was cold, but she had it covered, with the black fur, ankle length coat she kept sacredly packed away for nights like this.

It was soon apparent to him that Joss was definitely a woman of great taste, great fashion and sexy style, and she knew her clothing designers. Her outfit, as they say, _would make a dead man rise_. Her soft, caramel skin, radiated with a glow, from the red, sexy, one-shoulder dress she was wearing.

Her feathered hair flowed effortlessly across her shoulders and down the center of her back, shrouding the jaw lines of her face. The black, three-inch heeled, pumps, enhanced her beautiful legs perfectly.

_…She was definitely not dressed for the coffee shop, _he thought as his manhood began to twitch in his pants, _he would more than likely, have to hurt someone tonight, if they went into the coffee shop with her looking so sexy…_

_"Stay put"_, he said as he ran around to the other side of the truck and got in.

_"I thought we were going in to grab a cup of coffee?"_

Reese stared at her from head to toe. _"Going to the party dressed like that?"_ he asked.

_"We were told to wear something nice."_ She watched as he continued to stare at her, saying nothing, and knew that he was acting a little jealous. _"What? Too much?"_ she asked.

_"No, not at all babe. What time did you say the party would be starting?"_ he asked raising his hand up to his mouth and rubbing his chin.

_"Nine, why?" _

He looked at his watch and then back at her. _"We've got at least an hour."_

He stared at her, continuing to rub his chin. _"Drive"_, he said, placing the seatbelt on and stealing glances.

_"What? Drive where?"_

_"Your apartment, that's where your __**friend**__ is picking you up, right?"_

_"John, please, you can't be serious. I don't have time for this."_

_"Now…Joss…either you drive_, o_r I will"_.

She started the SUV and pulled out of the parking lot, with Reese staring at her during the entire drive back to her apartment. The look in his eyes was not exactly pleasing. Once they arrived, he got out of the vehicle, walked around to her side, and opened the door.

_"Get out"_

Carter was taken aback by the somewhat harsh, subdued tone of his voice. She stared at him, hoping he would see that she was not pleased with his behavior. She did not want to think that he, of all people, truly harbored a jealous streak. She folded her arms and sat still, staring straight ahead.

_"I'm not getting out of this damn vehicle until you tell me what's wrong with you John!" _

_"Joss… get out…now."_ He grabbed her arm with force, but not too much. _"If I have to pick you up and carry you inside, I will. Out...now."_

Carter removed the keys from the ignition, and got out of the SUV. When they reached the door, she unlocked it and they went in. By now, he was fuming with jealousy, and she was fuming with anger over how childish and selfish he was behaving.

_"What the hell is your problem John!"_ she shouted at him, slinging her clutch onto the floor, as she removed her fur coat. _"You better talk to me right now!" _

He looked at her, trying to find the right words to say, and not really wanting the night to be about jealous emotions, but he was aware of the fact that he was feeling a little jealous over her right now.

_"You're leaving for Connecticut after tomorrow. I want you here with me, tonight, so we can spend the night together, and wake up in each other arms tomorrow."_

Carter looked at him in dismay. She had already told him that after the party, she wanted him to come over and spend the night with her. She could not understand what in the hell he was talking about, and why he was acting this way. At the moment, she was not going to entertain his silliness.

Reese walked over to her and put his arms around her, trying to explain his actions and emotions, but she was not buying it.

_"One minute away from you Joss, feels like a month. I know that I sound crazy, and I'm behaving selfishly right now, but please babe, stay here with me tonight, please." _

He started kissing her gently on the lips and neck, his penis throbbing in his pants.

_"I want you now, Joss, please. I know that I'm being selfish, but I don't want to share you with anyone else right now, you've got to understand that Joss." _

Carter was still fuming. She could not believe how selfish he was acting. She pulled away from him, angry and a bit confused.

_"No, John, you're not being fair. How could you do this? How can you be so selfish?"_

She walked over to the couch and sat down. He walked over and kneeled down in front of her, and laid his head in her lap. She held both hands up, and away from him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her touch.

Reese began to kiss her legs, sliding his hands under her dress and pushing it back to reveal her tight thighs and red, lacy panties. Carter kept her hands in the air, not wanting to touch him, but could feel the passion boiling within her. He kissed her thighs passionately, as he rubbed between her legs, easing his hand inside of her panties.

_"I want you…I want you now Joss, now…"_ he whispered, as he kissed the inner parts of her thighs tenderly, blowing softly behind passionate sucks.

He could feel her juices flowing, her vagina becoming moist. She moaned, her eyes rolled back in her head. He reached both hands behind her and grabbed her ass, pulling her close to him. She pushed down hard on his back with her hands, her head resting on his. She whispered for him to stop, but the passion within was at a boiling point. He could not stop, did not want to stop, and she did not want him to.

He slowly stood up, grabbed her hand and walked her around to the back of the couch. He gently leaned her over the back of the couch, with his hips equaled to her ass. Reese slowly raised her dress up, clawing at her thighs and legs as she moaned, slinging her soft black hair back from her face.

He pushed her dress up around her waist, and pulled her panties down, allowing them to rest just at the top of her knees. She could hear him unzipping his pants. The echoing sound of the belt being unbuckled, and the slow sound of the zipper easing down, made her feel as if this was his way of _spanking_ her for being a bad girl.

He ran his hands up and down her back, loosening her muscles, so that she would be prepared for what was coming next, and then, without warning, he thrust himself inside of her with force, and began to bang her hard, as he grunted and moaned, hard...as his moans echoed...hard...thrusting, stroking, banging her harder and harder, both grunting and moaning with seductive pleasure, allowing each stroke to move in and out of her with steady precision. There was no room for screaming, no need to beg for more, he was giving her more than she could take, sending her a message that she fully understood. With each forceful stroke, her hair dangled in her face, her body jerked in unison with his. She was breathless, making hissing sounds through her teeth at how good it felt for him to be inside of her.

His thoughts were of her, not wanting to share her with anyone, not wanting any man to ogle her, not wanting her out of his sight. After tonight, she would know how he felt, know that sharing was not an option. No words were spoken, only soft moans. The sound of their bodies slapping together, intoxicated him with desire, as she allowed him to take her. When he thought that she was ready to explode with an orgasm, he ejaculated his semen inside of her, meeting her sweet juices with force. Reese snatched her panties from her body, ripping them in half. He undressed her completely, and finished undressing himself.

He picked her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her passionately all the way. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. They made passionate, tumultuous love, ejaculations and orgasms meeting with a burst of explosion, over and over again, filling her body with his semen. She could only moan and let him have what he wanted, for as long as he wanted it.

The doorbell rang repeatedly, knowing who it was, he looked into her eyes and she looked into his, the message was clear and equaled, neither of them gave a damn about who was at the door. All that mattered was what they were doing with each other, to each other. That was all that mattered to them, nothing more.

Tonight, they made more than love.

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences - Episode 2: I apologize**

After bumping into Beecher at the Precinct, Carter apologizes, only to be thrown back into another situation that she knows could have dire consequences, but her good-natured heart, takes the bait. It appears that she will not be driving to Connecticut alone.


	2. Episode 2: I Apologize

_*A fan fiction story based on the Person of Interest characters. I own no copyrights to the characters or show. Thank you. Enjoy. _

* * *

**Fan Fiction Story: Love In Numbers **

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences**

**Episode 2: I Apologize**_ - After bumping into Beecher at the Precinct, Carter apologizes, and soon finds herself trapped in another maladroit moment with him. The decision she makes could have dire consequences, but her good-natured heart, takes the bait. She will discover that sometimes, it's best to just say NO. In the meantime, Reese confesses his love to Carter with a special gift, with great, sentimental meaning to his heart._

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**Love In Numbers**

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences**

**Episode 2: I Apologize**

Reese and Carter spent the night engrossed in passionate lovemaking, ignoring everyone else. She knew that she had stood Beecher up, and hoped to have a good explanation tomorrow, when she stop in at the Precinct to sign out for the next two weeks. The least she could do was try to apologize to him.

There was another little matter that she needed to attend to, involving Mr. John Reese, and his uncouth attitude. He stopped her last night, but she had a few words to say to him. After they showered, and ate breakfast together, Carter was sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting for Reese to finish dressing and join her.

Reese walked out of the bedroom smiling at her as if he could go another round. He walked over to Carter and bent down to kiss her, but she turned her face away from his.

_"Ok…I get it, you're upset with me about last night, right?"_ he asked sitting down next to her.

She turned and glared at him with an angry expression on her face. He was right about one thing, she was pissed. Carter turned to face Reese and he could tell from the look in her eyes, she was about to let him have it, verbally that is.

_"Talk to me…what was last night all about?"_

He knew what she was asking, but wanted to try to throw a little fun into the conversation, lighten the mood a little, get her to smile.

_"You and me, babe, it was about us, and some damn good lovemaking. How 'bout we go for round two…right here, right now." _

He tried to plant a kiss on her cheek, but she pushed his head away. He tried to lean toward her and plant a kiss on her neck, but she quickly stood, and watched as he slowly kept leaning forward until his head rested on the arm of the couch. He may have been smiling, but she was not.

Carter was in no mood for his jokes right now. She was serious, and wanted answers. She was not pleased with the way he reacted last night. He knew that she had accepted Beecher's invitation to the Party. It was not as if she had accepted an invitation to marry the man, hell, it was just a Party invitation.

_"John…you can't go around doing this to me. You cannot act as if no other man has a right to be friendly with me. I work in an environment where men outnumber women two to one. I am around them all day, John, and I know how to handle myself around them. You cannot act this way."_

She stood and carefully adjusted her white cashmere, turtleneck sweater. She ran her hand over the front of her slim black pants, making sure there was no signs of wrinkles. Reese was staring at her in wonderment, at the attention she often addressed to her clothes. He had not been privy to such an adoring sight in quite some time, and it was refreshing to see. Using her fingers, she fluffed the feathered waves of her hair with expertise, to finish the primping process.

Carter walked over and stood in front of the window, staring out at the light snowdrift blanketing the trees, ground, and bushes. He knew that she was telling the truth about his jealousy, but he was not ready to accept everything she had to say. This was his time to set the record straight with her, and he was not going to mince his words. Reese eased up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

_"Beautiful sight isn't it"? _He asked, leaning his head against hers.

Silence invaded the space between them for about a minute. The seriousness of the conversation had taken center stage. Reese coaxed her to turn and look at him. He draped his arms across her shoulders, as he looked down and into her soft, beautiful, sad eyes. 

_"I agree…babe… but you cannot expect me to allow other men to be friendly with you, and think that I want feel a little jealous. I'm a man…Joss, and I know that being friendly with other women, can sometimes lead to situations that can be hard to control, or walk away from. Babe, I love you so much. You have brought so much happiness and joy into my life, in such a short period of time. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all." _

He slid his arms down around her waist, and pulled her closer to him.

_"Look, I get it. I know that other men are going to be around you, all day, but that doesn't mean that I have to accept other men asking you out on a date, or inviting you to do things with them, just because. Joss, sweetheart…if that is the case, then maybe we should end things right now. There is no need for us to have a relationship, and say that we love each other, if other men can feel free to ask you out on a date, or invite you out, whenever they feel like it."_

She tried to pull away from him, but he held his grip tighter around her waist. The truth of what he was saying was burning deep within, and she suddenly felt selfish.

_"Let me put it to you this way babe. Would you accept that from me? Would you like it if I accepted an invitation to some party or event, from another woman, just because she asked? Think about how that might make you feel. Think about how it would look and feel, if I came home, got dressed, and told you that I had been invited to attend a party with a female friend, and I'd be home later. How would that make you feel Joss? Would you be ok with that? If you can say, with all honesty, that you would be ok with that, then I will apologize for my behavior, right here, right now." _

It was as if the vividness of the moment had presented itself to her. She knew how it would make her feel, and _**"hell no"**_would be her answer to him. Reese knew from the look in her eyes that he had made his point. There were truth and logic to his argument, and she knew it. She could see now that it was not so much about him being jealous, but the fact that they were a couple, and both have expressed how much they love each other.

Just saying the words in her mind seemed so unreal. They **_were a couple in love_**, and they were in a **_relationship_**, just as he had said. It was finally sinking in to her that he was truly in love with her, and in her life, as much as she was in love with him, and in his life. And, if that was the case, then there was no excuse for her actions, accepting the invitation from Beecher. She had been around male cops for so long, and often had to put them in their place when they would come on to her.

Cal had not tried anything like that with her, but there were a few rumors going around, that he said he found her to be very attractive, and would definitely like to get to know her better. Carter knew that it was best to leave those kinds of rumors right where they originated from.

She could not help but feel a little guilty for even putting Reese in the position to have to explain himself, and his emotions. One thing for sure, she was not going to do that to him again. Carter looked at him and smiled. She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him with apology interwoven all in it.

_"I think I'd better go babe, I don't know if I can control what I'm feeling right now." _He said with a smile.

But she was not done apologizing yet, and locked her arms around his neck, pecking him rapidly with sweet kisses, as he carried her, dangling from his neck, right up to the front door.

_"Joss, babe…I've got to go."_ He tried to loosen the grip of her arms from around his neck, but she held on tight.

He stood still, trying to think of a way to get her to let go of him. Knowing what she said last night, that she had a lot to do today, he thought of a sure fire way to get her to release him. He started kissing her as if he wanted to take it to the bedroom. He kissed her passionately, moving her backward toward the bedroom.

_"Okay, John…I get your point."_ She said as she pushed him back, finally releasing her grip, and allowing him to leave.

She leaned against the door, smiling and rubbing her lips tenderly with her fingers. _God I love that man_, she thought as she grabbed her coat, purse and keys, and left the apartment.

When Carter entered the Precinct, Detective Beecher was standing at the front desk talking to the desk clerk. He turned and looked at her with disappointment written all over his face, and she knew it just from the look in his eyes.

_"Well, well…Detective Carter, how nice of you to _**show**_ up"_, he said, placing deep emphasis on the poignant word. He was definitely not smiling.

Carter nervously nibbled her bottom lip, briefly closed her eyes, and tried to find the right words to say as she approached him.

_"Beecher, I…look, I am so sorry! Really I am…I…well you see…it's ah…it's just that…well I…please forgive me Beecher. I apologize. I should have called you or something. It's just that…something came up…and…"_

He interrupted her before she could make a complete fool of herself, which was fine by Carter, because she really did not have an excuse. Beecher walked up to her, placed his hand on her chin, and lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. She flinched as if to say, _"Please don't do that."_

_"It's alright Carter, I understand, maybe we can try again later. Listen, I heard that you would be leaving for Connecticut tomorrow, joining your family for Christmas. I thought that maybe we could ride together since I'm going that way too. My parents live in Bridgeport, and they are expecting me home tomorrow for the holidays. So, what do you say? Can we share a ride? I mean, I'll chip in on the gas, and even help with the driving. Almost two hours of driving alone in this weather, can't be all that fun. So, is it a deal?"_

His proposition definitely caught Carter off guard. The front desk clerk looked at her with empathy, for having just been boxed into a corner. Right now, she could either do one of two things, say **yes**, or say **no**. If she says **yes**, she would have to explain it to Reese. If she says **no**, this would be the second time she had reacted negatively toward Beecher, and the fact that she stood him up, and did not even call him to explain why, was still eating away at her good-natured heart. There was no way that she could do this to him again. Carter knew that the decision she makes right now, could have consequences.

_"What time were you thinking of leaving?"_ She asked reluctantly, hoping that she was not about to make a big mistake, and secretly wishing that he was kidding.

_"Whenever you're ready Detective, I'm on your time, just call me and I'll be waiting."_

God, she wanted to yell **_"NO!"_** but she just could not do it. Beecher told her that she could pick him up from his sister's apartment over on East 51st Street, which was a little out of the way, _but dammit, it was a little too late to complain now_, she thought.

After he joyously scampered off, whistling the tune of, **_I'll Be Home for Christmas_**, of all things, Carter wanted to scream. The desk clerk looked at her shaking her head from side to side, with a slight smile on her face.

_"What ever happened to 'we women have to stick together'?"_ She asked the clerk with a raised eyebrow.

_"I was trying to give you the __**'eye'**__ Detective, I swear."_

_"Yeah…I'm sure."_

Carter signed out, and left the Precinct feeling duped. She got into her truck, and drove en route to window shop for last minute gifts, and pick up a _special_ gift from the jewelers. She could not believe the mess she had gotten herself into, once again. Carter could only think about how she was going to tell Reese that Beecher would be riding with her to Connecticut tomorrow.

She tried to play different scenarios in her mind of how she would tell him, but nothing seemed to come out right. Some of her reasons were so unbelievable, even she could not believe them. She pulled in front of the jewelry store and sat in the truck, engrossed in deep thought.

_…Maybe she could leave tomorrow, without picking up Beecher, and once she almost reach Connecticut, she could call him and tell him that she just forgot to pick him up. Geez, that sound so, stupid. Well…there is one thing she could do, and that is, not tell John anything. Besides, she had offered him the chance to go to Connecticut with her, but he declined, so having Beecher along for the ride would be great company, and keep her awake on the road. He did offer to share with the driving, and that, in and of itself, was definitely a bonus. Besides, this is not like the invitation to a party. This was just two people heading in the same direction, sharing a ride. There, that was it. That is how she would do it. There would be no need to say anything to John, he never has to know. Whew...what a load off my mind… _

Carter entered the last store on her list before going back to the apartment. After she had drowned her worries and guilt about the whole Beecher situation, beneath a nice hot shower, she slipped into her favorite, comfortable Victoria Secret PJs, and crashed on the couch with a bowl of pistachio nuts and a bottle of spring water. She glanced over at the pile of gifts that still needed wrapping, and sighed. John was definitely going to help her complete that task. Her phone rang, stirring her from her thoughts. She grabbed it, quickly answering, thinking that it was Reese.

_"Hi handsome"_, she said with a sexy tone, and was seconds away from blowing kisses into the phone, when she was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice.

_"Ma?"_ the voice on the other end said.

She knew that it was Taylor, and had to think of something quick to explain away the sexy tone of her voice.

_"You know you're my handsome little man."_ She said playfully, all the while thinking…_'whew, that was close'_.

Taylor laughed as if he was embarrassed at what she said. He was calling to make sure that she would be arriving tomorrow, as planned. He was accustomed to his mother getting called back in to work at the last minute, but this time he wanted to make sure, that was not going to happen.

His next sucker punch packed a wallop, and she was definitely not prepared. It had been a week since she saw and hugged her baby boy. Her thoughts often drifted on the fact that he would be graduating, June of next year, and attending a Military Academy in Virginia. He was already accepted, and they had recently toured the Campus together, and instantly fell in love with it.

She often cried at night just thinking about him leaving her, and how much she was going to miss him, but, as her mother constantly reminded her, _"It was time to let him be a man and stand on his own two feet."_ God, she hated that phrase. _Whoever came up with that, obviously had never experienced motherhood_, she thought, shaking her head to regroup.

It seems grandma and Taylor had been busy doing a little pre-planning before she arrives tomorrow. Carter knew that he had his grandmother wrapped around his finger, and she would do just about anything to make him happy. That was something she loathed with passion.

Now, it seems grandma thought it would be better for Taylor to spend the remainder of his vacation in Connecticut with her. According to grandma, he was now a member of the Youth Community Services & Mentoring Program, at the local Civic Center. Taylor and nine other young men, had been tapped to provide services to the elderly and children during the holidays.

Carter was not pleased at all about him not returning home with her, when she leaves Connecticut, but if he was going to be involved in helping others, she was all for that. She did have her heart sat on sitting down with Taylor, to tell him about her and John's relationship. She wanted him to be a part of it, and prepared herself for whatever the outcome might be. Either way, she was not going to place her son's feelings above her own or anyone else.

After the conversation ended, Carter looked up at the clock, and it was almost nine. She wondered where Reese could be, but knew that in his line of work, she would not be surprised if he was flying over England right now, waving at the Queen and her family. Carter busied herself by wrapping the gifts she had purchased, at least that would take her mind off everything.

Reese was still working with Finch, on a new number they had recently received. Carl Elias, the local mafia crime boss, was back into play. There had been an execution style murder in a bodega in Brighton Beach, ruled by mob leader Benny D'Agostino, who just happened to be the victim.

From all of the information that Reese and Finch could gather, it seemed the murder was a retaliation hit by the Russian mob, gunning for their rival, Carl Elias, who witnessed the murder. Elias had gone into hiding under the alias of a high school teacher.

Reese was trying to protect him from the Russian mob gang who were gunning for him. Somehow, Elias convinced him that he was no longer trying to take over Brighton Beach, but instead, had resumed his role as a teacher to help the kids in inner city schools. The crime rate was staggering and too many good teachers were leaving because of it.

He could tell instantly that Reese was the kind of man who would do whatever he could, to protect people who were trying to do good things. Elias played on Reese devotion to help innocent people. He knew that Reese would do what he could not do, eliminate as many of the Russian mob gang members as possible, giving him a clean path to take full control of Brighton Beach.

It was a little after eleven when Reese finally arrived back at Carter's apartment. It was not his intention to be gone for so long. She would be leaving around two o'clock tomorrow, but he still felt as if he had wasted the night, trying to protect a wannabe crime boss. Reese was not pleased at all.

After entering the apartment, he could see remnants of where she had been wrapping gifts. He smiled at the thought of how normal and inviting it looked. He took off his coat and threw it onto the couch, followed by his blazer and shoes. Reese slowly eased down the hallway to the bedroom and peeked in.

Carter had fallen asleep, lying across the bed wearing the sexy little black, silk chemise she had purchased just for his delight. A big red bow was lying next to her. He knew exactly what it meant. There was a half-eaten bowl of strawberries sitting on the nightstand next to her side of the bed, and a half bottle of wine next to the bowl. An empty wine glass sat near the strawberries, save a few remaining drops at the bottom of the glass. He wanted to kick his own ass out of pure guilt alone. Reese knew he would somehow have to make things right.

He eased back out of the room and went into the bathroom to take a shower. When he was done, he went back into the bedroom wearing only a pair of silk navy pajama bottoms, thanks to her, he had been given permission to bring a few of his things from his loft, over to her apartment.

Carter was still asleep when he eased down next to her and began to gently kiss the back of her thighs. She moaned and moved her legs, spreading them with just a wide enough crack for him to run his hand between. Her body felt so soft and warm. He eased his hand into her sexy black panties, and she flinched, letting out a slow drawled moan. Reese knew then that she was awake.

_"I don't think my man would like you dropping in like this to get me warmed up for him. If he finds out that I have a thing for the UPS guy, I don't think he'd be too happy about that, so you better hurry and leave before he gets here."_ She said jokingly.

Reese rolled her over onto her back, straddled her body and began tickling her mercilessly, as she begged him to stop, kicking and gasping for air through playful, uncontrollable giggling. Amid the fun and laughter, they embraced and kissed. He sat up and leaned his back against the headboard, beckoning with his hand for her to come closer. Carter slid between his legs and leaned her back against his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her body, encaging her in a tight grip.

_"I love you girl"_, he said kissing her on the head.

_"I love you too…boy"_, she reciprocated with a cute giggle.

_"So, I take it that you're not upset with me for coming home late?" _

_"Of course not John, it's your job, and I'm ok with that."_ She ran her hands up and down the soft silk pajamas he had on.

He did not know what to think. When he was with Jessica, she would get mad as hell when he would come home late.

_"Wow, I'm a very lucky man. Not many women would be okay with that you know."_

_"Yeah…I know, but…the kind of work we do, sometimes the situation calls for us to give more, and if we're lucky to have someone in our life who understands, that makes it easier and less stressful."_

Carter wanted to tell him, at that moment, about the deal she had made with Beecher, but she did not want to smutty the night with arguable emotions flaring up. She managed to ease out of his grip and opened the drawer to the nightstand. She pulled out an elegantly wrapped gift in a slender box.

_"Close your eyes"_ she said, hiding the gift behind her back. She could see his eyes lids fluttering and his eyes partially opened. _"Don't you dare peek, John, I can still see your eyes."_

He laughed and placed his hand tightly over his eyes.

_"Ok, I want peek, I promise."_

Carter sat beside him in bed, took his free hand, and placed the box in it. _"Now…you can open your eyes."_ She kneeled in front of him with a big grin on her face, waiting anxiously for him to open the gift.

_"Joss, you did not have to get me anything. You're all I need"_, he said as he leaned forward and kissed her.

Reese opened the gift and could not believe his eyes. The Pineider Tonneau Watch was definitely a thing of beauty. He had seen this style and design of watch before, but always thought it to be a bit too expensive and classy to walk around wearing. Especially with the kind of work he does, going around punching and roughing up bad people. This was not the kind of watch to wear when doing stuff like that.

Years ago, he admired a similar style and brand of watch from afar, on the arms of an ex-CIA Agent, but never thought he would own one. Reese looked at her and was suddenly at a loss for words, as he leaned forward and kissed her. He got up from the bed and told her to do the same as she had told him, close her eyes, and do not peek. Now, it was his turn to give her the gift he had for her. He returned from the living room, walked back over to the bed and sat down beside her.

Reese took her hand in his, and placed the tips of his fingers against the tips of hers. She did not know that on one of his fingers, he was wearing a sterling silver, sleek band ring. It was not an engagement ring or a wedding band, but a ring of significant importance, symbolizing his undying love for her. He let the ring slowly slide down from his finger, onto the finger next to her thumb on her left hand.

It was a perfect fit. He kissed the ring as she slowly opened her eyes. She, too, was speechless. Carter knew that it had to be something special, coming from him, and listened, with tear-filled eyes, as he spoke words that held more passion and love than any sex they had ever had. Through tears of sentiment and joy, he spoke passionately about the symbolic meaning of the ring, and why he chose tonight to give it to her.

_"This ring belonged to my grandmother. Before she died, twenty-eight years ago, she called me to her bedside. I was only nineteen years old at the time. She asked me to go to her bedroom closet and remove the porcelain jewelry box on the top shelf, and bring it to her. When she opened the jewelry box, she removed a white handkerchief with pink roses embroidered around the edges. She unfolded the handkerchief, and with trembling hands, she placed it in my hand. Inside the handkerchief was this beautiful, single band ring. She told me that it was not just a ring, but a very special ring, meant to be placed onto the finger of someone very special to me. Someone I would never imagine it to be. She told me that night, that I would know when I had found the right woman, all I'd have to do was place the ring on her finger. I often wonder now, Joss, how did she know? How did she know that someone like you would enter my life and bring me so much joy and happiness? How did she know that the ring would be a perfect fit for you? How did she know?" _

They both had tears rolling down their cheeks. Her heart was beating so fast, she felt as if it would burst through her chest. Carter did not have an answer for him. She grabbed Reese and held him tight, as she leaned her back against the headboard. It was as if the roles had been reversed. He laid his head in her lap, with tears still streaming down his cheeks. She stroked his head and hair, and ran her hands up and down his back, comforting him. She could tell that his grandmother was very dear and special to him. After twenty-eight years, it was still too painful for him to talk about.

Tonight, there was no need for wild sex. There was no need for long conversation. There was certainly no need for emotionally charged spars. Tonight was special. They both needed time, a moment of silence. Occasionally, she would lean down and gently kiss his face. The aura in the room was one of sadness, mixed with a beautiful array of deep, thoughtful emotions.

It was three-thirty in the morning. They both had nodded off to sleep. He had fallen asleep with his head still lresting in her lap. Reese got up and put his robe on, trying not to awaken her. He walked into the living room, and sat on the couch, with his head bowed and his hands up to his mouth. Carter slipped into her robe and slippers and followed him into the living room, and sat down next to him.

_"Want to talk about it?"_ she asked.

_"What?"_

_"Whatever is bothering you John. Talk to me."_

She walked over and sat beside him, rubbing her hand up and down his back. Reese kept his head bowed, as he began to speak.

_"The ring…Joss…it never fit her…."_

Carter was not sure where he was going with that. _"I don't understand John. It never fit who?"_

He looked up at her, tears welling in his eyes. _"Jessica…the ring never fit her finger, Joss…never." _

_"So...you're sayiing that..."_

_"It wasn't meant for her. Jessica...It wasn't meant for her. It was not suppose to be a perfect fit for her finger. I think that I understand now, why my grandmother said those words to me that night." _

Carter did not know how to respond to what he was saying. She stared down at the ring and suddenly felt guilty. She began to tug at the ring, but suddenly it felt as if it was locked onto her finger. It would not move.

_"I'm sorry John…maybe…maybe I shouldn't wear it, but I can't seem to pull it off my finger."_

_"No, Joss, don't" _he said as he grabbed her hand and held it tight._ "Please, don't remove the ring. It was meant for you. I loved Jessica, honest I did, but now I know that it wasn't meant to be. You were the woman my grandmother spoke of that night. You are the love of my life, Joss, and I love you so much." _

_"I love you too John, and I promise, I will cherish this ring forever. You see, it now means more to me than you could ever imagine. In honor of your grandmother, I humbly accept this ring as a token of our love for each other, always."_

She gently kissed the ring and pulled his face to hers. _"I'll always love you John, always."_ They kissed and cuddled in each other arms for the remainder of the morning. A lot had been shared that night, taking their relationship to a whole new level.

**Chapter 4: Rules & Consequences - Episode 3: Christmas in Connecticut**

**_It was very hard driving away from Reese that evening, but the two of them managed to pull away from each other. It was even harder for Carter, knowing that she was keeping a secret from Reese. She could only hope that he would not find out right now, about Beecher riding to Connecticut with her. It would certainly break his heart, and would no doubt, destroy the trust in their relationship. She knew that somehow she would have to find the courage to tell him the truth, but she was not sure how or when._**


End file.
